Four States Ag Expo

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The Board of Directors is a working volunteer board. Join the team today! Send an email to: fourstatesagexpo@gmail.com.

To provide a forum for agricultural producers, suppliers and consumers in the Four Corners Region, that will showcase new agricultural technology, offer innovative ideas and advance effective production and marketing of traditional, specialized and alternative agricultural products through education, demonstration and promotion.

Welcome to the annual expo

We would like to welcome you to the 2024 Four States Agricultural Exposition! It will be held on March 22 & 23, 2024 at the Montezuma County Fairgrounds in Cortez, Colorado. The Four States Ag Expo has been an annual event in Montezuma County for 42 years, hosted in an area with rich agricultural history. It is a farm show that draws people in from Colorado, Arizona, Utah, New Mexico and beyond.

The Four States Ag Expo is committed to providing and encouraging agricultural education and innovation in the Southwest, and provides a wonderful outlet for many agricultural dealers and businesses to advertise

and demonstrate their products, equipment, skills, and services. This year our headline speakers and clinicians are: Joel Salatin, Robin Brown, Cat Urbigkit and many more. We look forward to seeing you there! Bring the whole family because we have activities and events for all ages!

We want to thank our board members, sponsors, volunteers, vendors, clinicians, presenters, 4-H and FFA members, and attendees. Without all of you, this amazing event could not happen. Thank you to everyone who helps to make the Ag Expo a success!

2024 Four States Ag Expo Board

GOATS FOR SALE!

Local support is key to success

Without the generous contributions from regional business owners and special partnerships the Ag Expo would be an impossible feat. The two-day event is coordinated by the nonprofit organization, Four States Ag Expo, to provide a forum for farmers, ranchers, producers and suppliers to learn about the latest innovations in agriculture.

The support from these local, regional and national businesses is the key to success for the annual event. While sponsors benefit from advertising at the expo, each contribution ensures its longevity. The Four States Ag Expo board of directors would like to extend our gratitude to these sponsors for supporting agriculture in this community and the largest agricultural exposition in the Four Corners.

SPECIAL THANKS TO IN-KIND DONATIONS FROM OUR SPONSORS:

Southwest Ag

IFA Country Store

Bruin Waste Management

Barnyard Sheds

Target Rentals

First National Bank, Cortez

Dolores State Bank

Cold Stone Creamery

Canyons of the Ancients Guest Ranch

Retro Inn

Donnie Johnson

Friday & Saturday 10-11:30

Lynn Belle Lewis

Friday & Saturday noon-1:30

Darwin and Craig

Friday 1:45-3:30

Ellis Miller

Friday 4-5

Bean

Saturday 3:30-5

H SCHEDULE: FRIDAY, MARCH 22, 2024

TIME EVENT LOCATION

8:30 a.m.-noon Working Cow Horse Clinic with Monte Ricca Outdoor Arena

9 a.m.-5 p.m. Vendor Booths Open Main Building

9 a.m.-5 p.m. Stock Dog Clinic with Robin Brown Outdoor Stock Dog Arena

9 a.m.-5 p.m. 4-H and FFA Animals on display Children's Ag Learning Facility

9 a.m.-5 p.m. Horse Connected Learning with Tiffany Nichols: TAILS of Transformation Children's Ag Learning Facility

9 a.m.-5 p.m. Seed Bombs and Pinecone Bird Feeders with Montezuma Land Conservancy Children's Ag Learning Facility

9 a.m.-5 p.m. Roping Practice Children's Ag Learning Facility

9 a.m.-5 p.m. Meet & Greet with Michele Bell & Juniper, Mesa Verde Mustangs avail. for adoption Equestrian Pavilion

9 a.m.-10:30 a.m. Joel Salatin: Creating the Farm You Love Ag Summit Room

9-11 a.m. Horse Clinic with Mika Tozer: Ride with Courage and Confidence Equestrian Pavilion

9:30 a.m. Children’s Stick Horse Race Children's Ag Learning Facility

10 a.m. Children’s Chicken Chase (ages 1-6) Swine Barn

10 a.m.-11:30 a.m. Live music by Donnie Johnson Main Building Stage

11 a.m.-noon. Leila Thompson: Building Trust & Confidence with your Mustang Equestrian Pavilion

11 a.m.-noon Joel Salatin: Eating Well with Less Ag Summit Room

11 a.m.-noon. Dog Recall Training with Kim Anderson Children's Ag Learning Facility

noon-1 p.m. Susan Carpenter Noble: Communicating so your Horse Understands Equestrian Pavilion

noon-1 p.m. Dog Trick Training with Kim Anderson Children's Ag Learning Facility

noon-1:30 p.m. Live music by Lynn Belle Lewis Main Building Stage

12:30 p.m. Children’s Chicken Chase (ages 1-6) Swine Barn

12:45 p.m. Children’s Stick Horse Race Children's Ag Learning Facility

1-5 p.m. Working Cow Horse Clinic with Monte Ricca Outdoor Arena

1 p.m. Presentation of the Colors Main Building

1-2:30 p.m. Joel Salatin: Sustainable Abundance Ag Summit Room

1-3 p.m. Horse Clinic with Mika Tozer: Ride with Courage and Confidence Equestrian Pavilion

1:15 p.m. Goat Roping Competition Swine Barn

1:45-3:30 p.m. Live music by Darwin and Craig Main Building Stage

2 p.m. Livestock Guardian Dog Panel Discussion with Cat Urbigkit and Cassie Robinson Main Building, Upstairs Classroom

3 p.m. Livestock Guardian Dogs with Cat Urbigkit Main Building, Upstairs Classroom

3-4 p.m. Joel Salatin: The Entrepreneur's Dynamic Dozen Ag Summit Room

3-4 p.m. Youth Performance Horsemanship with Cy Lanier Equestrian Pavilion

3 p.m. Greased Pig Chase (ages 4-12) Sign up at info booth before 2:45 p.m. Swine Barn

3:30 p.m. Children’s Stick Horse Race Children's Ag Learning Facility

4 p.m. Children’s Chicken Chase (ages 1-6)

Swine Barn

4-5 p.m. Foraging Plants for You and Your Livestock with Kelsey Englehart, Arrowhead Farm Main Building, Ag Summit Classroom

4-5 p.m. Live music by Ellis Miller Main Building Stage

H SCHEDULE: SATURDAY, MARCH 23 , 2024

TIME EVENT LOCATION

9 a.m.-5 p.m. Vendor Booths Open Main Building

9 a.m.-5 p.m. Stock Dog Clinic with Robin Brown Outdoor Stock Dog Arena

9 a.m.-5 p.m. 4-H and FFA Animals on display Children's Ag Learning Facility

9 a.m.-5 p.m. Horse Connected Learning with Tiffany Nichols: TAILS of Transformation Children's Ag Learning Facility

9 a.m.-5 p.m. Seed Bombs and Pinecone Bird Feeders with Montezuma Land Conservancy Children's Ag Learning Facility

9 a.m.-5 p.m. Roping Practice Children’s Stick Horse Race

9-11 a.m. Horse Clinic with Mika Tozer: Riding with Confidence Equestrian Pavilion

9:30 a.m. Children’s Stick Horse Race Children's Ag Learning Facility

10 a.m. Children’s Chicken Chase (ages 1-6) Swine Barn

10 a.m.-3 p.m. Children’s Crosscut Branding sponsored by Backcountry Horsemen Outdoors

10-11:30 a.m. Live music by Donnie Johnson Main Building Stage

11 a.m.-noon. Leila Thompson: Building Trust & Confidence with your Mustang Equestrian Pavilion

11 a.m.-noon. Foraging Plants for You and Your Livestock with Kelsey Englehart, Arrowhead Farm Main Building, Ag Summit Classroom

noon-1 p.m. Equine Neurology and Performance with Petra Sullwold Equestrian Pavilion

noon-1:30 p.m. Live music by Lynn Belle Lewis Main Building Stage

12:30 p.m. Children’s Chicken Chase (ages 1-6) Swine Barn

12:45 p.m. Children’s Stick Horse Race Children's Ag Learning Facility

1 p.m. Presentation of the Colors Main Building

1-3 p.m. Horse Clinic with Mika Tozer: Ride with Courage and Confidence Outdoor Arena

1:15 p.m. Goat Roping Competition (open to all ages) Swine Barn

2 p.m. Ice Cream Eating Contest sponsored by Cold Stone Creamery Main Building Stage

2-3 p.m. Livestock Guardian Dog Panel Discussion with Cat Urbigkit, Heather Frazier and Cassie Robinson Main Building, Ag Summit Classroom

3-4 p.m. Youth Performance Horsemanship with Cy Lanier Equestrian Pavilion

3 p.m. Livestock Guardian Dogs with Cat Urbigkit Main Building, Ag Summit Classroom

3 p.m. Greased Pig Chase (ages 4-12) Sign up at info booth by 2:45 p.m. Swine Barn

3:30 p.m. Children’s Stick Horse Race Children's Ag Learning Facility

4 p.m. Children’s Chicken Chase (ages 1-6) Swine Barn

3:30-5 p.m. Live music by Bean Pickers Main Building Stage

Schedule subject to change. Go to our website for updated information: www.fourstatesagexpo.com.

Experts offer demonstrations, guidance

MONTE RICCA

Monte Ricca spent his childhood living and working on the family ranch outside of Bayfield, Colorado. Ricca earned an associate’s degree in horse training and management from Lamar Community College, then served as an apprentice under NRCHA professionals Randy Paul and Benny Guitron. He engaged in competitions at many working cow horse events including the NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity, the CRCHA Futurity and the AQHA World Show. Today, he owns and operates Ricca Performance Horses in Cortez, Colorado, where he has trained many successful non pro and youth competitors.

FRIDAY

8:30 a.m.-noon Working Cow Horse Clinic, Outdoor Arena

1-5 p.m. Working Cow Horse Clinic, Outdoor Arena

MIKA TOZER

Mika Tozer co-owns and operates TNT Training and Arena alongisde her husband Hardy. Mika began training horses at age 13, and teaches colt-starting and horse training while also coaching new riders. She will share her training strategies through a special presentation during the show, and present helpful tips and tricks for building confidence, trust and understanding between a horse and their rider.

FRIDAY

9-11 a.m. Ride with Courage and Confidence, Equestrian Pavilion

1-3 p.m. Ride with Courage and Confidence, Equestrian Pavilion

SATURDAY

9-11 a.m. Riding with Confidence, Equestrian Pavilion

1-3 p.m. Riding with Confidence, Outdoor Arena

CY LANIER

Cy Lanier spent his life working hard on the family farm in Pleasant View, Colorado. He is still the top farmhand for his parents, and handles every chore with dedication and excellence. Lanier trained with international clinician John Moore and renowned trainer Cody Lamont. Thanks to a variety of local and regional influences, including Ag Expo clinicians Mika Tozer and Monte Ricca, Lanier has honed horsemanship skills and enjoyed competitive success. He has earned several rodeo titles, and is excited to share his knowledge with Expo guests.

FRIDAY

3-4 p.m. Youth Performance Horsemanship, Equestrian Pavilion

SATURDAY

3-4 p.m. Youth Performance Horsemanship, Equestrian Pavilion

LEILA THOMPSON

Leila Thompson is a 16-year-old who has been training horses since she was bucked off a pony at her fifth birthday party. Since then, she has earned awards at a number of local and regional Hunter and Dressage Championships, including a Youth Grand Champion title at the Montrose Mustang Trainer Incentive Program Challenge and a Grand Champion title at the Four Corners Mustang Challenge in New Mexico last year. Whether green, broke or wild, Thompson trains all horses using techniques to help horses develop confidence in the trainer and themselves.

FRIDAY

11 a.m.-noon Building Trust and Confidence with Your Mustang, Equestrian Pavilion

SATURDAY

11 a.m.-noon Building Trust and Confidence with Your Mustang, Equestrian Pavilion

SUSAN CARPENTER NOBLE

Lewis, Colorado resident Susan Carpenter Noble enjoys training horses, coaching riding students, teaching horsemanship clinics, and freelancing for national horse magazines. In addition to her prowess as a coach and trainer, she is also an accomplished author. She published two books set in Montezuma County, Cowgirls Don’t Quit and The Free Horse in 2020. Half a Saddle Off, the third book in the series set in Nevada, was published in 2022.

FRIDAY

11 a.m.-noon Communicating so your Horse Understands , Equestrian Pavilion

PETRA SULLWOLD

After seven years as an equine sports massage therapist, Petra Sullwood shifted to providing animal chiropractic services. In 2008, she received her Animal Chiropractic Certification through Options for Animals in Wellsville, Kansas and is certified by the International Veterinary Chiropractic Association and the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association. In recent years, she started a school where certified animal chiropractors and veterinarians can continue education and study the benefits of chiropractic care for animals.

SATURDAY

noon-1 p.m. Equine Neurology and Performance, Equestrian Pavilion

ROBIN BROWN

Robin Brown is an accomplished stock dog trainer with a national reputation for raising well-mannered herding dogs for ranchers. She is a three-time National Cattle Dog Champion, and earned the title of “Master Cattle Dog Trainer” at Art of the Cowgirl. In addition to traveling to teach stockmanship, she and her husband, Rocky, host a one-of-akind retreat and training clinic at Broken Circle Ranch every year.

FRIDAY

9 a.m.-5 p.m. Stock Dog Clinic, Outdoor Arena

SATURDAY

9 a.m.-5 p.m. Stock Dog Clinic, Outdoor Arena

KIM ANDERSON

Kim Anderson has always had a passion for dogs. While working in the veterinary field, she discovered a natural ability to understand their behavior. Through research and ongoing education, she learns how to better communicate with dogs through relationship building, games and fear free methodology. Anderson loves teaching children how to better understand their dog, and she enjoys visiting schools, to teach safety and behavior.

FRIDAY

11 a.m.-noon Dog Recall Training, Outdoor Arena

1-2 p.m. Dog Trick Training, Outdoor Arena

Explore educational presentations

Four States Ag Expo invites experts to share valuable information through annual courses and discussions. The collection of educational opportunities offers attendees an affordable way to learn more about the resources available to help producers and landowners improve agricultural operations of all sizes. Here’s a glimpse at this year’s presentations.

PANEL DISCUSSION ON LIVESTOCK GUARDIANS

A panel of experienced ranchers will answer audience questions about using livestock guard dogs. The group will discuss how to train the animals, the importance of health testing, what to look for when selecting a puppy and so much more. With the reintroduction of wolves, this panel discussion will be one you don’t want to miss.

Heather Frazier owns and operates Pails and Provisions Farm with her family. She focuses on raising animals suited to the local climate, including Brown Swiss cows, Kune Kune pigs, Navajo Churro sheep, goats and free-range chickens. The farm uses livestock guardians to protect the animals from predators.

Cat Urbigkit is an author, photographer and a western Wyoming rancher who uses livestock guardian dogs to protect cattle and sheep from large carnivores, including wolves. She is well-known for her nonfiction books that give readers a glimpse of rural ranch life and realistic descriptions of working with livestock guardians.

Cassie Robinson grew up raising fiber sheep with her family, relying on livestock guardians to protect the flock. After traveling the U.S. as a wildland firefighter, she settled in Montezuma with her husband and son to raise boer goats, Kune Kune pigs, cattle, sheep and free-range chickens. After introducing livestock guard dogs, the family has not lost animals to predators.

SPECIAL GUEST JOEL SALATIN SPEAKS FRIDAY

Joel Salatin is an author, speaker, and most importantly, a farmer that understands the business of agriculture.

On Polyface Farm in Swoope, Virginia, he raises cattle, chickens and pigs using sustainable farming methods that improve soil health on the 550-acre property. Salatin often travels to speak on topics like stewardship and sustainable agriculture as well as building bridges through agriculture in communities and securing local food systems.

FORAGING FOR YOU AND YOUR LIVESTOCK

Owner of Arrowhead Farms, Kelsey Englehart strives to provide education surrounding topics like sustainable living and natural wellness. Englehart raises livestock to produce food for her family, and has honed a variety of homesteading skills. With a passion for plants and the art of foraging, Englehart uses her nature knowledge and ranching background to host educational classes and workshops for other community members.

More fun activities for all ages

The Four States Ag Expo is not only a celebration of agriculture, it is also an opportunity to reach the next generation of farmers and ranchers. Youth activities connect textbook science, health, nutrition, economics and technology with real-world experiences and applications. That’s why the nonprofit organization continues to focus on providing activities and education for youth during the two-day expo.

CALF

The Children’s Agricultural Learning Facility, better known as “CALF” is an opportunity for the youngest visitors to learn more about agriculture, animals and ecosystems. Volunteers from Montezuma County 4-H as well as the Cortez and Dolores FFA chapters

will help guide attendees through hands-on learning experiences and answer questions along the way. In the past, CALF presentations covered a variety of topics like soil health, water conservation and animal science, and provided a platform for students to learn new skills, such as churning butter, gardening and leatherworking.

ALL KINDS OF ANIMALS

For many children, their interest in agriculture starts with a love for animals. Bring the kids to the fairgrounds to see and interact with the cute creatures. Volunteers will be available to help children try their hand at goat roping. Children also have an opportunity to get down and dirty in the chicken chase and greased pig contest. See the schedule for age restrictions.

WE ALL SCREAM FOR ICE CREAM

The annual ice cream eating contest is open to kids aged 5 to 12, and is sponsored by Cold Stone Creamery. Children who can battle through the brain freeze, and clean out the cup the quickest will claim a prize. See the schedule for more details.

COOL KEEPSAKES

Both children and adults can create a unique keepsake from the annual Ag Expo thanks to the Mesa Verde Backcountry Horsemen and Four Corners Backcountry Horsemen. Swing by the Ag Expo between 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday. Attendees have the chance to learn how to use a crosscut saw, and then try their hand at branding the circular stump.

Cox Conoco is your one stop shop for:

• Husquvarna Chainsaws & Chainsaw repair

• Cooper Tires • King Ropes Hats • Dyed Diesel

• Ethanol Free Gas • Fishing Licenses & Supplies

• Tire Repair

• Front End & Brake Work

• Small Engine repair

• BG Flushes Propane

+ a fully stocked convenience store

TWO CONVENIENT LOCATIONS

201 East Railroad Ave Mancos, CO

8794 Highway 491 Lewis, CO

Family Owned for over 60 Years